Higher Education report highlights the importance of relationships between university officers and international school college counsellors.

Relationships between schools and universities are crucial when it comes to the successful placement of international students at universities. This is a clear message that comes out of the new Pathway from International School to University Report now published by ISC Research.

The report analyses research from over 180 college counsellors working in international schools around the world. The research discovered that the relationships between school and university have a significant impact on the choices made as counsellors guide their students to finding the most appropriate degrees and universities for their ability, needs and career aspirations.

The report highlights the fact that students’ choice of university is influenced not only by the best-fit guidance of college counsellors, but also by such factors as location, cost, visa benefits, the safety of the country, ranking of the university, and the quality of the education on offer. Most of this information is disseminated to students and their families via the college counsellors who, in turn, are guided by the universities.

If a good relationship has been established between a college counsellor and a university officer, and if the counsellor can see the positive experiences former students of the school are having at the institution, the influence of this can be profound when it comes to the college counsellor recommending a university and its courses to students year in, year out.

The report reveals that connections forged between universities and international school college counsellors is helping to raise awareness of the increasing number of undergraduate options now available and this is broadening the choices being made by students. Almost 50% of the college counsellors researched said that universities from more countries were now promoting their degrees to the school and, as a result, international school students are now moving to all corners of the world for their undergraduate study. Popular destinations identified in the report include the US, UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Germany, Japan and the UAE, primarily to study English-medium degrees.

The research highlighted that college counsellors found guiding their students difficult at times due to the increasingly complex nature of university selection. Improvements to staffing, support, communication channels, and resourcing could mean college counsellors are able to better inform and guide students, resulting in successful progression to university and degree retention for all students.

The 50-page Pathway to Higher Education Report, published by ISC Research is available for schools, universities and professionals supporting student pathways by contacting enquiries@iscresearch.com